Parking pad

[Betsyp]

I need to put my Montana on a dirt lot temporarily while I build new house. I want a temporary pad that is not expensive and not using rock. I’ve seen fabric and plastic things and wonder if wood panels like plywood are an option for a few months. Appreciate any suggestions. I have horses- are stall pads (rubber mats) an option?

[Mikendebbie]

You are in Florida and the soil is most likely sand, and it is probably close to 100% naturally compacted unless you or someone else has been digging or grading the area recently. Therefore I would not expect much settlement from the weight of your rig. If the area has been recently graded or disturbed you will need to compact the sand before putting your RV on it. Water the area real good with a hose and walk or stamp your feet on the area where the tires will run. If you can - drive your car back and forth over the area to compact the sand…that will be better than your feet!

If it was me - I would rake the area real good and get rid of leaves, twigs and organic debris, the “eyeball grade” the area to somewhat level with a shovel and a rake. It does not have to be perfect because your Lippert leveling system with level the rig. Mainly - you should fill ruts or knock down humps or ant hills. If you don’t rake the organic matter - it can rot and your rig will sink a bit.

Get some pressure treated 2x10s x 10’ long and 1 pc 8’ long at Home Depot. Cut two pieces 6’ long for your tires. Cut the 4’ long pieces in half. Put these under your rear levelers (4 pieces - one pc under each foot). Cut the 8’ pc into 2’ long pieces (4 pieces). Stack 2 pcs under each front foot. The pressure treated lumber will not rot and it won’t harm your tires. There is nothing scientific about using a 2x10…a 2x6 will be wide enough to support your tires, but a wider board like a 2x10 will spread the load out and make it less likely to settle or sink.

I actually use several pieces of lumber under my leveler feet and front legs - because I have a bone yard full of pieces of wood. You can add more pieces under each foot - just make sure the pressure treated lumber is on the dirt.

[Betsyp]

Thank you so much. We did have the the lot cleared and root raked and leveled but it was packed down by the front loader a lot .

[Foldbak]

6" of compacted class II base rock!

[DutchmenSport]

We were camped at Port St. Joe State Park a few years ago with our Outback travel trailer (34 feet long). Port St. Joe State Park is now called Gulf Breeze day use. I don't know what happened with the State Park status.

Anyway, we were on the peninsula for 2 weeks. When camped therre, I used treated lumber (12 inch wide boards) under the tires and under the jacks. Even with all that, I still had to re-level almost every day and when we finally left, the boards were burried under the sand from all the wind blowing over the top of them dragging sand with them.

So, it looks like you are in Mexico City, Florida and it really all depends upon the ground you are parking your camper on. If your sand is compacted pretty good, treated lumber under the tires and jacks is probably going to do you good. But, it also depends upon if you want to keep the camper level, jacks down, and continue using it or if you are just wanting to park it for storage between trips.

[mlh]

Congratulations on your new home. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do our home.
Lynwood

[Todd & Mary]

We also use 2x10's when on grass or soft ground. It just ensures you will not sink too bad. The larger the boards the more surface area you will have and the less likely it will sink in the ground. Good luck with your build!

[Bourbon County]

Congrats on the new house; I absolutely love that area of Florida.

There's absolutely no need to try to cover the entire footprint of the RV. It's probably not a big issue in FL, but covering that much area can change the natural drainage plane as well as wasting money and time. The horse stall mats don't offer any rigidity which is what you need. I'm in the camp with the treated lumber under the tires and jacks.